Fly With Chris And Di

Taking advantage of frequent flyer programs is a great way to save on flights and upgrade to a more comfortable flight. You can also use some points for other things like merchandise or even drinks. It can get confusing trying to make sense of all of the options. This is why we are sharing our experience on how to maximize those benefits and get the most out of your miles program.   We talk about how to become a frequent flyer member. If you're already a member, don't worry, we have stuff for you too. We talk about some of the benefits of being a frequent flyer. We also talk about how to sign up for frequent flyer programs, and we also talk about how to get the most out of your miles. We also wrap up the show with a comparison of three different airlines and the benefits that they provide. We’ve done the research, so you can just enjoy the benefits.    Show Notes   [02:45] Being part of a frequent flyer plan really makes you feel special. It also makes purchase of tickets and check in really easy. The airline

Booking a trip or vacation can be frustrating for people who don’t know where or when to look, but it’s possible to save and still have awesome trips when you know where and how to look for the best deals. This is why we invited budget travel expert Nikki Rue on the show today.    Nikki runs She Saves She Travels where she shares budget travel tips, inspiration from her trips, and more with her readers. Nikie gives us great tips on the best time to book a flight, why it’s so important to be flexible with dates and airports, and she shares some little heard of subscription services that can save travelers big bucks to local and exotic locations.    Show Notes   [02:36] Nikki Rue runs the travel blog She Saves She Travels. She has been traveling for years. It's her goal to break the myth that you have to be rich to travel. [03:14] She teaches people how to budget and prioritize their trips through her site. She also gives awesome travel tips and shares inspiration about the trips that she has been on.  [03:34]

One of our favorite trips was the birthday trip that I planned for Chris last year. Chris likes planning. He plans most of our trips, and he is not a fan of surprises. So, I couldn’t completely surprise him with the trip, but he was surprised by the great planning and what a wonderful time he had. Chris is a fan of bourbon, so I thought it would be a great idea to take him and some friends on a bourbon tour. It’s good I wasn’t trying to create a complete surprise, because I needed some input from Chris to design the perfect birthday bourbon tour. First I needed to know if he was even interested in a bourbon tour. Then I needed to know which distilleries he would like to visit and who he wanted to go on the trip with us. Once I had this information the preparation could begin. In this episode, we share how I laid out and planned the trip, and all of the fun things we did. Show Notes [04:22] The first thing that Di did when planning this trip was ask Chris key questions. You will get a really great experience i

Worrying about whether your home is safe can really take the fun out of vacation. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to secure your home and create peace of mind so that you can enjoy your trip. Today, we have expert realtor Amy Corey here to share 10 tips that will help secure your home while you are on vacation.   Amy is the realtor that we used to buy a home, sell a home, and to help get us connected with an agent in Tennessee. Amy works by referral only, so she is freed up to focus on the buying and selling of client homes instead of worrying about marketing her business. We think Amy is wonderful and are super excited to have her here today. We also share a funny story about our house buying experience with Amy.    Show Notes   [05:20] Amy calls herself a real-estate brat because her mom was in real estate for 36 years. Amy is now celebrating 15 years this month as a residential realtor. [06:10] Any works exclusively by referral in Indiana and all over the country.  She has a top notch g

Do you have any questions you would like to ask a pilot?  We have some burning questions that we would like to ask a pilot, so we are super excited to have our guest today Brian Harris. Brian is Chris's cousin. He has been a pilot for a long time. Brian is going to answer all of our questions, and we also have a question from a listener.  We have also taken some trips with Brian, and at the end of the episode Brian and Chris share a trip they took when they were young. If you would like your question answered during our show check out our Facebook page to see what is coming up and join in on the interviewing fun.   Show Notes [02:45] Brian has wanted to be a pilot since the 6th grade. He started with an aviation explorer program with the scouts. He fell in love with aviation and majored in aeronautical technology at Tennessee State University. [03:18] He then went to two flight schools and then instructed for a year and a half before landing his dream job as a pilot in 2002.  [03:31] His ultimate dream of bec

We’ve been sharing travel tips and some of our great travel experiences with you. Today, we are doing something a bit different. We are sharing the actual four-day itinerary of our Southern California trip. In this trip, we had a great time and managed to see a lot in a very short amount of time. We spent some time in LA, a day in San Diego, and even made it South of the Border in Tijuana.  People often ask how we do so much in such a short amount of time. It really comes down to planning. We wanted to get the most out of our trip, so we were very mindful of the time we had. If you want to make a similar trip, we share what we did each and every day, If you don’t want to plan, you can just follow our itinerary to get the most out of your trip.  Show Notes [02:25] We took this trip from Indianapolis. We knew we would gain a little time, because we were going from Eastern Time to Pacific Time, so we left early.  [03:25] If your flight is longer than three hours, upgrade if you can. [03:58] We had our nephew LJ

We are talking about relaxing in Cabo San Lucas. Summer travel can be crowded with so many people taking vacations. Our Cabo trip was amazing. We went in February, and were able to beat the crowds and enjoy relaxing in Cabo. If you live somewhere that has a cold winter climate, Cabo can be the perfect escape. We are going to walk you through our relaxation trip to Cabo San Lucas and give you advice and pro tips along the way. We’ll tell you about upgrades to get. How to make the most of your airport and transportation to the hotel. We share our entire journey, and our tips for unwinding and relaxing by the pool, meeting people, enjoying great food, and fun games. Show Notes [03:20] This was Chris's first relaxation trip. [03:52] Getting to Cabo requires a long flight.  [04:05] Our first tip is to upgrade to comfort plus or first class if it's reasonable. Any flight over three hours starts to get uncomfortable in economy.  [05:05] Tropical airports like the one in Cabo are fun. As soon as you come out of the p

We share a lot of tips and tricks for planning your own vacation, but when it comes to group trips or something as important as a destination wedding, there are a lot of advantages to turning to the help of a professional. This is why we are excited to have Ashley Morris on the show today. Ashley is the founder and owner of Alpaca Your Bags Travel which specializes in group trips and destination weddings. Ashley shares important tips that only a travel professional can provide. An experienced professional can make recommendations, get discounts to rooms and amenities, and be the go between who handles the group financial part. We also grill Ashley on her favorite destinations, how she ended up with such a fun business name, and why she got involved in the travel industry. Ashley’s knowledge and passion really shine through in this fun interview. Show Notes [02:55] Ashley Morris is the owner and founder of Alpaca Your Bags Travel. The name may be funny but they take travel very seriously. [03:06] She's in her

Over the past several weeks, you've had an opportunity to see behind the scenes and get to know us a little bit. Today, is a special episode where we go deeper behind the scenes and give you an opportunity to know a little bit more about Di and her travel adventures. Chris interviews Di about her early childhood travel experience. Some of her favorite vacation spots, and many surprises along the way. We also discuss some of Di’s top 3 places to go, where she would like to go, and great family adventures. We talk about restaurants, excursions, and more. We hope you enjoy this little peek into Di’s travel history and what she loves the most about it. Show Notes [03:08] We've been married for 11 years. [03:38] Di's Father worked for an airline, and she started traveling at a very young age. [04:27] Di grew up in Atlanta. One of her favorite travel memories was a station wagon trip to Disney World. Her family and some other family friends formed a caravan and headed to Disney World. [05:26] Somebody had strapped

We took a fantastic trip back in October. We went to London, Paris, and Scotland. We did this trip in a pretty short amount of time, but we have a lot of inside tips and tricks and links that can help you get the most out of your London, Paris, and Scotland trip.   This all came about because Chris is a Titans fan and found out about the NFL experience in London where the Titans were playing the Chargers and the NFL Experience helps plan your trip. Chris had never been to London before, and he and Di decided to add on a few more days to go to Paris and Scotland too.   This is an in depth episode where we walk you through our amazing trip, and we share tips and things that will help you get the most out of a similar trip. We also include all kinds of links and resources that can help with your planning and with getting ideas on how to make your trip your own. We also throw in some great pro tips to avoid things like jet lag.   Show Notes   [02:03] Chris is a Titans fan. The Titans had a game in London against

We talk about traveling, because it’s something we do and love. Having new experiences and seeing new places is definitely worth the work, expense, and risk for us. Still, we take a few common sense precautions to make sure that our trips our safe for us, our family, and our possessions. We like to expect the best, but have a back up plan just in case. In this episode, we share tips and tricks to help keep you safe while traveling. We talk about precautions that can be done ahead of time during the research process. We talk about transportation, car services, having a backup for important documents, blending in with the locals, having a contact person at home, and more to make your trip safe and fun. Show Notes [01:55] Take a look at the neighborhoods that you will be visiting on your trip. Learn what areas are safe and what areas you should avoid. [02:14] Know if there is a nearby medical facility. Look up this information before you head out on your trip. [03:17] Use travel reviews to learn about whether th

If you are a first time cruise passenger, there is actually a lot to know. In episode 10, we talked about Cruising 101 and how to prepare for your cruise. Today, we take things a step further and tell you everything you need to know to board your ship and have the perfect cruise. We talk about embarkation day. What to do when you first get on the ship. How to be prepared for the muster. How to communicate with your travel companions without breaking the bank. How to make sure you get booked for the shows and excursions you want. How not to get left at the port, and we even share a smart tip, so that you won’t end up getting off the ship in your pajamas.   Show Notes [01:57] Embarkation day. Time to get on the ship. [01:54] You may not have access to your cabin right away. Grab a map and get the lay of the land. [02:16] Learn what's on each level and where the pools and bars are. [02:33] It's your seven day home away from home. [02:53] You can grab lunch and look into booking services and reservations. Look in

Disney has grown over the years. The amounts of theme parks, attractions, and events can get overwhelming. Mickey Mouse hasn’t gone anywhere, but he is now joined by characters and attractions from decades of Disney movies. If you haven’t been keeping up, it’s easy to get lost in all of the new and interesting things that Disney has to offer. This is why we have expert Disney Travel Guide Krystin Turner on the show today. Krystin loves Disney. Krystin and her husband even had their honeymoon there. On today’s show, Krystin shares some of her favorite insider tips. She even tells us about some new rides and attractions. Plus, she shares how to have a reserved spot for the fireworks show while enjoying some fun Disney desserts. Show Notes: [01:50] Kristin works for dreams unlimited which is a travel agency that specializes in all things Disney. [02:31] Kristin has four kids and has been a Disney expert since 2011. Although, she has been going to Disney all throughout her life. She even went there on her honeymo

We want to share our travel experiences with the ones we love most. If you have a large family, you are traveling with a lot of people. This can bring unique challenges and unique opportunities. We are fortunate to have Sharon Rowley, a real life mom of six and a travel expert who runs the Mom of 6 blog, on our show today. Sharon offers all kinds of resources for planning, organizing, eating, and living with a large family. We especially love her travel tips, and she generously shares them with us. We talk about when to rent a house or a hotel, when to fly, how to plan for meals, tips for saving on food, tips for saving on activities, and the importance of staying flexible. Sharon offers great tips for making sure everyone enjoys the trip, and she offers a couple of hidden gems we didn’t know about.   Show Notes [03:03] Sharon lives in Westchester County New York, and she has six kids. Her kids are between the ages of 13 and 18. They have been traveling since her oldest child was literally an infant. [03:30]

We love cruising, but on his first cruise Chris was a little concerned. What was there going to be for him to do? Will he end up just locked in his room? What will the food be like? Will he be able to eat it? These are a lot of the concerns for first time cruise trips. If you are afraid of cruising because of food concerns or concerns about being stuck on a ship, don't worry we are going to answer those questions and more on today's episode Cruising 101. We are going to talk about all of the tips you need to know after you decide to book a cruise, so that you can cruise like a pro   Show Notes [02:54] After booking a cruise, you need to identify your flight. There are some combination packages available, but you can usually save booking separately. [03:42] Arrive a day before in case there's some type of delay. Arrive as early as possible. [04:52] Port cities can be fun. We spent the day before and after our cruise in Barcelona. [05:50] Also have a game plan if you encounter delays. Talk to the airline right

Our friend Keith Dix the owner of Touchdown RV is here with us today to talk about some of the obstacles that first time RVers face and how to overcome those obstacles. Chris and I have been RVing for several years now, but it wasn’t always that way. From driving the big vehicle to hooking up the lines, there are a lot of unanswered questions that first timers have. We want to help answer these questions and more, so you can enjoy all of the benefits of RVing without any of the added stress. Show Notes [02:15] Keith is an IT guy by trade, but his interests in RVs has taken off into a full time gig. [02:37] Keith got started with an old 1980 RV that they didn't use much. Then he realized that renting RVs around holidays is difficult. Then he got the idea to buy his own and start a business around that. [04:36] Class A RVs look like buses. Class C looks like vans. Travel trailers need to be pulled by a truck. [05:33] Touchdown RV has models ranging from 22 feet all the way up to 35 feet. [05:49] Most RVs have 7

Traveling can take a toll on your fitness if you don’t make an effort to make smart choices and keep fitness top of mind. This is why we have Cha Rae Smith and Michelle Stoltz from Fitness Sisters on the show today to talk about staying on track with health and fitness goals while traveling. Cha Rae began Fitness Sisters to keep herself motivated when fitness started falling by the wayside with her busy schedule. Michelle is a founding member and admin. Fitness Sisters began as a Facebook Community that offered support for women and their fitness goals. They have grown beyond that, and Fitness Sisters is now a one stop shop for support, accountability, and motivation. They even have an app coming out soon. Show Notes [02:54] Cha Rae started the Fitness Sisters Facebook group in order to help her become more fit. The group grew organically and grew to about 5000 members in a year. The purpose is to offer support and encouragement with fitness goals. [04:04] Cha Rae is a busy mother of three with a full-time jo

Fun adrenaline filled adventures that you can enjoy off the Vegas Strip is our topic today. We hesitated before vacationing in Vegas. We thought it would just be about gambling. Once we gave it a shot, we discovered that there are so many fun things to do in Vegas from shows to sporting events to unforgettable off the Strip adventures. We have been to Vegas four times in the last three years, and in this episode we share three fun adventure that we loved. In fact, one of them is Chris’s all time favorite. Las Vegas turned out to be amazingly clean, shiny, and beautiful, and if you value experiences the way we do, you will love the adventures we share with you today. Show Notes [05:01] There are so many things to do in Vegas on and off the strip. We find the majority of our Off the Strip Adventures on TripAdvisor. [05:15] Go to TripAdvisor > look at things to do > search outdoor activities > look for adrenaline and extreme activities. [05:49] Red Rock Canyon Adventure. We went by slingshot. [06:44] A slingshot

Boarding the plane is one of those things we all do, but it can take longer than we want. This episode is about saving time boarding the plane to ultimately save your sanity. This is part 3 of our How to Save Time (and Your Sanity) at the Airport series. In the previous episodes, we talked about security, getting to the airport at a good time, and carry on bags. Now it’s time to tackle boarding the plane. Some of the things we cover include assigned boarding on planes with assigned seats. Getting your carry on in the overhead. How to get travel bonuses, miles, and gift cards with slight delays. How to deal with Southwest airlines and their check-in policy with assigned boarding numbers. Plus, we share some personal tips and stories that makes talking about flying fun.   Show Notes [02:47] What specific locations are you interested in? [03:12] You should have a top 10 vacation list. [02:32] Be on time! [03:24] You will be called to boarding by zone. Wait until your zone is called. Sit down and relax. [05:47] I

It’s time for part 2 of How to Save Time (and Your Sanity) at the Airport. In part 1, we talked about how to be prepared for your flight. This episode is all about security. We talk about knowing which line you should be in, the 3-1-1 rule for liquids in your carry on bag, and then we go into detail on the three types of lines that you can be in. We also talk about things you can do to help keep the line moving and not hold up everyone behind you. We also share why we love TSA Pre✓ ® and what you can do to get it. We also talk about the VIP for VIPs called CLEAR and many more travel tips. This episode will save you time and help you to avoid embarrassing mistakes while making it through security like you do it everyday.   Show Notes [02:22] Security is one of those things that you need to be prepared for. Even seasoned travelers sometimes forget the rules that need to be followed in the security line. [03:24] Plan ahead because the person in front of you may not be prepared. Check out the TSA website for curr